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Biography / Academic Background

Sofy Carayannopoulos is an associate professor at the School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University. She currently designs, coordinates and teaches introductory business strategy courses to classes of over 200 undergraduate students, as well as a PhD class.

She holds an MBA and a PhD in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from Schulich School of Business at York University, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce and Economics and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto. Her award-winning cases have been published and distributed by the Laurier Institute and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and The Case Research Journal.

Carayannopoulos’ research has been presented at numerous conferences, including the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Conference. In addition, her research has been published in the International Journal of Knowledge,Culture and Change Management,Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Research Policy.

Research Interests / Ongoing Projects

My research interests are knowledge qualities and how they are acquired through acquisitions and/or alliances. I also explore the advantages of small organizations and when these advantages might allow them to overtake larger firms. I have also engaged in research on organizational reputations as an asset and understanding when it creates advantage. I am currently working on applying organizational theories to expand understanding of government contracting decisions as well as exploring foundational strategic theories and increasing understanding of when they are likely to be invalid.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship, 2003.

Student Opportunities / Supervising

I have supervised students engaging in independent studies on factors affecting the innovative capabilities of organizations, as well real options reasoning in strategy. I am currently on the dissertation committee of a PhD student whose dissertation explores marketing capabilities and their effects on firm performance.

I am willing to supervise undergraduate students wishing to engage in independent studies on technology strategy, organizational knowledge, disruptive innovations and entrepreneurship.